Our Computing Vision (Intent)

At St Joseph’s we will provide a high-quality computing education that equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Strong links will be made with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing will be computer science, in which pupils will be taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.

 

At St Joseph’s in conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum, our Computing teaching offers opportunities for children:

 

1. To build on this knowledge and understanding so that pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.

2. To ensure that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

3. To ensure that pupils can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation

4. To ensure that pupils can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems

5. To enable pupils to evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems

6. To ensure that pupils are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

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Our Computing Practice (Implementation)

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Throughout school we use the National Curriculum to plan objectives. We then use Teach Computing, Scratch and other computing apps to plan lessons and activities, as well as using a wide range of teaching and learning resources. Computing is covered, and children are fully immersed, through topic based learning where appropriate:

 

At St Joseph’s, we believe that Computing is effective when:

 

1. Pupils are taught to understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions

2. Pupils are taught to create and debug simple programs in KS1 and design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts

3. Pupils are taught to use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs and in KS2 they will be taught how to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

4. Pupils learn how to use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content

5. Pupils are taught how to recognise common uses of information technology beyond school understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration

6. Children learn how to use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output

7. Children are taught how to use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content

8. Children learn how to select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

 

Online Safety

St Joseph’s network is protected by software for virus protection and also internet security, which prevents access to inappropriate websites. Children are advised to use Junior Safe Search as an alternative to Google for researching information. Online safety rules can also be found in the Online Safety Policy and the Internet Agreement. At the beginning of each year, every child and adult signs an agreement as a sign of their responsibility to follow the rules of how to stay safe online. A copy of the rules are displayed in each class and revisited regularly.